the ultimate bounty
by ljpitty
Summary: A meeting with Professor Flitwick leads Harry to take his studies more seriously leading up to the end of his third year. When a chance opportunity sees him working overseas for the summer and learning new magic how will harry's views of the wizarding world and magic in general change. breathing in the air of Egypt harry begins his journey from a naive boy to a powerful young man.
1. Chapter 1

_Disclaimer- I don't own anything in this story so far. That might change with the addition of extra things._

_This is my new story that I am working on. At this point I'm just putting out feelers to see if there is much interest in the theme._

_At this point I have a romantic pairing in mind but I intend on this story being about Harry's development as a student into something a bit more impressive but not off the walls powerful._

_Also at this point it would be helpful to have a beta so if you're interested throw me a PM but if you want to wait a few chapters so you can see if the direction of the story is something your open to then that's fine._

_Lachlan._

The Flitwick revelation

Harry sat on his bed in Gryffindor tower thinking about his year so far.

Just last night he had rescued his godfather he only just met from being kissed by a dementor _twice_ and managed to master the _patronus _charm which, he had been told was quite advanced magic. He had been practising doing the _patronus _charm for the last few months before he succeeded only to have to watch his godfather fly away for an undetermined amount of time had left him exhausted both emotionally and magically.

He had about a month to go of his third year at Hogwarts School of witchcraft and wizardry including the remainder of his exams and he was struggling to concentrate on his studies. After the almost murder of godfather by the minister of magic and finding out that a garden rat that he had held in his hands at one point and was owned by his best friend had actually been a animagus in disguise that had been responsible for the murder of his parents had been, if anything incredible disillusioning.

It would be the first time that Harry had seen the incompetence of the minister first hand.

When he first met Minister Fudge at the start of the year he had come across as a bit of a bumbling fool, quick to try and please Harry because of his celebrity status in the wizarding world.

To see him try and kill a man so haphazardly even when people where proclaiming his innocence was amazing and not in a good way. He watched his chances of having a happy and fun summer slip away because some idiot wanted to cover up something that was essentially not actually his fault.

An innocent man sentenced to prison before minister fudge's time in office but the man scrambles to make sure it doesn't come to light just in case the public where feeling unforgiving about the ministries mistakes.

"Harry the preliminary grading for everyone has just gone up outside. Are you coming down?" said dean as he popped his head around the corner.

Harry sighed slowly "I think I'll have a look later" he replied "I'm sure Hermione will be up in soon to tell me".

Dean laughed "You're not wrong" he said as he walked back down the stairs.

"In fact I think I will go for a walk" Harry said to himself quietly "avoid the inevitable so to speak."

He slid wearily out of the bed and started towards the door. A walk would do him good.

As much as he enjoyed Hermione's presence he was still feeling tender from his recent exit from the hospital wing and was totally aware of his less than fantastic scores for his studies.

He had got out of madam Pomfrey clutches last night after being cleared from the Sirius Black incident the day before as had Hermione while Ron had to stay until sometime today to make sure his leg was healing properly. Which meant he would take the brunt of Hermione's wrath for the day while Ron got the sympathy.

Harry had no problem making it to the portrait hole undetected as most people where looking at the student ranking hung up on the board in the common room. He slinking quietly past the fat lady as she chatted to one of her friends in an opposing painting.

"Harry where are you going?" he heard behind him turning to see Hermione walking down the corridor.

"Hi Hermione, I was just heading to see Professor Flitwick. He sent a student up to tell me he wants to see me" replied Harry.

Flitwick hadn't actually but the faster Harry could get away from Hermione the less chance he had to have to talk about his scores.

"Well that's fine ill come with you." Said Hermione.

"I was under the impression that he wanted to see me privately" Replies Harry speeding up his pace only for Hermione to speed up again to catch up.

"I'll walk you to the door then" Hermione said obliviously not getting the dismissal in Harry's tone "have you seen your scores for the year yet".

Harry sighed this discussing was obviously unescapable "No I did not Hermione why don't you tell me how I did".

This time Hermione did catch his tone "don't talk to me like that. It's not my fault that you aren't doing that well".

"It's not my fault either" said Harry hotly "I've just had a lot on my mind with the whole Sirius thing. I can't just throw myself into study when I have to watch my back for, what I thought at the time was a deranged maniac trying to kill me".

Hermione glared at him "And that isn't an excuse not to study or do well in class. Your already in class why not pay attention. Staring off in to space and slacking off isn't going to stop the murderer from getting you and if you haven't noticed something happens every year. You can't keep making excuses about having to do something else or you will end up never doing anything with your life."

"Never doing anything" Harry almost shouted "I've saved a philosopher's stone, slayed a basilisk and almost caught a mass murderer. I could retire now and I've still done plenty more than what most people have."

Hermione grabbed him arm stopping him almost just outside charms office.

Harry didn't even realise they were here.

"You've also killed a dark lord Harry. That means that you are going to end up doing more things like this. Your special Harry and a target, no one else could have done the things that you have done and you shouldn't keep on expecting things to work out for you without you knowing what you are doing." She ran her hand through her already frizzy hair in exasperation "Jesus Harry do you ever realise how badly things could have gone in any of our adventures so far. Quirrel could have killed you, the basilisk should have killed you I mean you got bit by the most deadly snake in the world only to get saved at the last minute by a phoenix and if Sirius was actually a killer not your godfather he would have killed you."

Harry leaned against the wall outside the charms office "I'm tired Hermione. And sore, short tempered and I just want to sit down somewhere quiet and relax. What I don't want to do is talk about this" he said as he started towards the charms office door.

He wasn't sure what he was going to say to the charms professor but he would rather be in that discussion than this one.

It wasn't that he didn't know what Hermione was saying was right. Like he didn't realise that he kept putting his life was in danger and almost dying. He was there after all. Maybe he was being rude but at this point he didn't care.

He managed to get his hand on the door handle before she said anything "I just don't understand you sometimes Harry. How are you not more like me?

How do you not love everything to do with the wizarding world when you come from a place like where you grew up?

You get treated horrible by your awful relatives then a whole new world gets opened up to you where the opportunity existed that you can easily escape them and you don't care. You say you love magic but you treat everything like it's a chore. Just like these other kids that grew up with magic who treat it like it's an everyday occurrence to make things fly and change one thing to another but It's not for people like us Harry. It should be amazing, how do you not realise that?"

That did make Harry stop. She was wrong he did love magic. She had to be.

"I have to go Hermione. I'll talk to you later ok?"

Hermione started to walk away "just please think about what I'm saying. Maybe we can talk after you talk to Professor Flitwick."

Harry sighed as he watched her walk away. Once she left he would just walk in the other direction maybe find a classroom to sit in for a while away from all the noise but as soon as she turned the corner the door opened and in front of him stood Professor Flitwick.

"Hello Mr potter, why don't you come inside" Said the professor looking up at the slightly taller Harry.

"Oh no professor I was just walking past" said Harry quickly flushing in embarrassment.

"Nonsense" laughed Professor Flitwick "I distinctly heard Ms Granger say that you were going to talk to me. Now what can I do for you".

Professor Flitwick had quickly ushered the unwilling student inside and into a seat near his desk "Your lucky you caught me you know. Usually I am booked out with students trying to talk to me about their grades. I didn't expect to see you though. Not that you're not welcome you just never seemed that worries about your grades"

"Actually I'm not here to talk about my grades I kind of…" Harry looked away feeling very embarrassed now "I used coming to talk to you as an excuse not to talk to Hermione about my grades."

"Is there anything wrong with your grades?" asked the professor as he began to make tea.

This time it was Harry's turn to laugh "you the one grading me I suppose if anyone knew if there was a problem with my grades it would be you."

Harry was starting to feel quite relieved. If the professor didn't think there was anything wrong then Hermione had to give him a pass. There is no way she would disagree with a professor.

"There is a problem I just want to see if you can tell me what it is" said the professor sitting down opposite him putting down a tea in front of Harry "so what is the problem with your grades Harry?"

Harry frowned sourly. This is not how he expected his day to go.

"I know my grades aren't fantastic but they are still above average aren't they?" Harry asked the professor.

"Of course they are you are quite a bright student just because your above average doesn't mean there isn't anything wrong" said Professor Flitwick sipping his tea slowly "you know your mother was one of my best students. Almost prodigal in here knowledge of charms. I haven't had a student like her since. When you came into my class I was expecting you…" He paused and took a breath "hoping you would take after her. She was truly and amazing person. As was your father now I think about it. He didn't care much for the class lectures but every time i asked him to do something practical in class he didn't struggle at all."

"Well I'm not my parents" Harry said getting more upset as this conversation progressed "and I would rather you didn't hold me to my parents standards. What about Hermione? She has almost perfect grades she must be as good as my mother"

"At first I thought the same. Maybe you just hadn't gotten the talent from you family as unlikely as that is then I had a message from the department of law enforcement early this morning congratulating me on having a student capable of casting a _patronus charm_."

"Harry if you are anything then you are your parents" laughed Flitwick again "Ms Granger's problem is that everything she has done is what I tell her. Every spell she uses is literal and linear with no imagination there in no innovation maybe that will change as she gets older but for the time being she finds it difficult to look at spells as what they really are. An extension of our magic and imagination. Magic is limitless there is a way to get around every single law of magic if you look hard enough and I think Ms Granger will find that hard to grasp. Your mother and father would use spells in a way that they hardly even resembled the spells that I had assigned them to learn.

Once your mother got a good understanding of arithmancy every month she would be in my office questioning me on how to make the spell better.

The same with your father when he was pranking people I would see something done and as a teacher I would be upset but as a charms master I would be astonished by what he would do. Combining simple spells, finding obscure magic or making a crude design of a new spell just for the prank that had no other purpose."

Professor Flitwick sighed slowly but when he looked up he saw that he had Harry's absolute attention and he smiled maybe he could get through to the boy after all.

It was a moment before Professor Flitwick spoke again "That is the potential that is in your blood. You could do great things Harry, if you chose to. "He then smiled at the boy "What interests you about magic Harry? Maybe if I sparked your mind a little you will start using it more in class"

Harry was caught off guard by the question. What did interest him about magic? He hated feeling weak and feeling scared like when he heard Sirius black had got into the Gryffindor tower. Gryffindor tower was his home and it had been violated by who he thought to be killer. Now he thought about it he hated the fact that Ron's rat scabbers had been a deatheater that was 10 feet away from him every time he slept for three years. He hated being helpless. He wanted magic that could protect him and make him stronger.

"I want to learn magic that can protect me in the situations I keep getting in to. I would love not to have to worry about if I'm going to die or not." He said to the waiting Professor.

"Ok we will come back to that what else? Maybe something fun you want to learn?" said Professor Flitwick.

Harry thought about it.

What was fun in his life?

Outside of quidditch he didn't really enjoy anything except hanging out with the few friends that he did have.

"Nothing" he replied quietly "the only thing I can think of is quidditch."

"Well what do you do during the summer when you aren't at school?" said Professor Flitwick.

"Mostly just chores and things like that nothing I actually enjoy" said Harry.

"I have noticed that your summer homework isn't exactly fantastic when you get back. If you only do chores and the like why isn't your homework up to par?" asked the professor.

"Well my relatives don't exactly like magic too much so they keep my books and everything like that under the stairs so I don't use it during the summer. I could try and get it but I don't exactly want to aggravate them. So I just do the work on the train to school." Said Harry averting his eyes. He found this line of conversation quite embarrassing.

"Ok how about magic that you can practice during summer. You can study arithmancy during the summer without it looking like your using anything but maths books and runes can be used without setting of the underage magic laws so you could play with them during the summer" said Flitwick as he continued drinking his tea "as for not being allowed to have your books maybe we can find a way around that so that they wouldn't know."

"Sorry but I don't even know what arithmancy is and I don't do either that or ancient runes." Replied Harry.

"Why are you not doing ancient runes or arithmancy? I would think they are significantly more interesting than divination and astronomy in my opinion" smiled Professor Flitwick.

"Well I studied french in school and didn't find it very fun so I didn't pick ancient runes I guess I'm just not that interested in another language and arithmancy sounds a lot harder than divination so I chose divination" said Harry again, embarrassed.

"You don't even know what the two classes are do you" scolded Flitwick continuing when he saw Harry shake his head "ancient runes is the implication of runes in advanced branches of magic like enchanting, warding, ward-breaking, wand-crafting, blood magic, which is heavily frowned upon along with countless other forms of magic. Without using runes hardily any of them are possible and the ones that are you can only use the most dismal amount it would be a waste of time to even try, embarrassing even."

"And arithmancy, possibly the cornerstone of all magic in the world, is the scientific study of magic and how we use it. Do you know why the first spell we teach are how to turn a match into a pin and how to levitate objects?" asked the Professor.

"No sir" replied Harry still shocked over getting scolded by the, usually incredibly cheerful professor.

"Because they are a few of the only spells in the world that we wizards and witches have managed to prefect. Think of spells as recipes that involve a combination of motion and sound or intent and power. With the levitation charm you have the words _wingardium leviosa _which if pronounced wrong will pull power from the spell, you have the motion swish and the flick which also take power out if preformed wrong but none of the intent that would have led to you using magic before. Intent is used to guide your magic and the power acts as a filler where you would usually have the magic words and motions. As you and your magic are young you need a huge amount of intent and power to make magic work without the proper movements because your magic has to be trained. So the first time you learn the spell it takes almost perfect sound and motion to work but if you preform the spell one thousand times then when you intend for the spell to work it will because your magic will know what it's doing, like muscle memory the magic will know how to form the spell and where you haven't trained enough there will be more of a drain on your magic to make up for the difference. Do you understand?" asked Flitwick.

"Kind of. So if you do the spell motion and sound perfect then there will not be as much a drain on your magic because it doesn't need to correct as much right?" Harry looked up and saw the Professor motioning for him to continue "but if you continuously use a spell then you can just intend for it to happen and it will because your magic will know how to do the spell automatically. So basically magic is like a pet that you are teaching tricks?" Flitwick clapped excitingly.

"That's right. You are better treating magic as a sentinel being that can be taught how to do things. Like animagus. Animagus is a human that can change into an animal. You teach you magic slowly how to change you into an animal teach it that you have two forms the animal and the one that you usually wear. Which is also the reason you can't have more than one animagus form because if your magic gets it confused then it could lead to your death. Like if you had both a badger and a lion form and you changed but your magic put a badger's heart in the lion's body you would die. As you get older your magic will understand more about what it can do and as such it will be easier to preform magic. You will also get more and more powerful leading to you being able to make more mistakes and use more complicated magic. Look at Nicholas Flamel inventor of the philosopher's stone. He and his wife lived so long that magic became almost entirely intent based able to do any spell they could think of what they want to happen and, through a combination of spells it will just happen even if it took six hundred years for their magic to get to that level"

It seemed Professor Flitwick loved talking about magic and seemed to ramble a bit. Not that Harry wasn't interested. This was possible the only conversation he had ever had on how magic actually works. He always just assumed it was, well magic but to find out that you could train your magic to make spells easier. Baffling.

"Professor Flitwick what has this got to do with the spells we learnt in first year. Or arithmancy for that reason" asked Harry.

"Sorry Mr Potter I seemed to go off on my own tangent. Arithmancy is the study of the science behind spells. What motion and sound together make what happen? Levitation and the basic transfiguration can be used easily by first years without draining any of their power and making them tired because those spells are perfect. The motion and the sound go together without the need for any intent or hardly any power obviously if you were to add intent the spell would become easier so if you were to teach it to a fifth year they would pick it up effortlessly because even if they didn't do the motion and sound perfectly correct the intent and power would easily make up for it. On the other end of the spectrum we have say the patronus charm, something you had learnt recently. Something is wrong with the spell making it remarkable difficult to use and incredibly draining on your power until you teach your magic how to use it properly. Arithmancy tries to make spells easier to cast by perfecting the motion and sound behind them so people can rely less on the intent and learn the spell quickly. On the other hand arithmancy is also about making spells that don't already exist. What motion and sound can cause the effect that you are looking for? All of these things can be found out by mathematical equations" finished Flitwick as he also finished his tea getting up to make another one.

"That's incredible" said Harry "I'm starting to regret my choices in my classes arithmancy and runes sound way more interesting that my units so far. Maybe I can change classes?" Harry said more to himself than to Professor Flitwick.

"Maybe" replied Flitwick "it's not unheard of to change classes but it is rare maybe you should talk to the professors of the classes and ask them what it would take to get you into the fourth year classes next year."

Harry watched as Flitwick got up to make a second pot of tea before he realised he hadn't even started his yet. Not to be rude he quickly gulped it down before Flitwick noticed only for it to get refilled by the Professor immediately afterwards.

"Back to the original idea what can you do during the summer why not study runes. I'm sure you can have quite a bit of fun playing with runes at home over the summer almost everything that is possible with a wand is also be possible using runes. It is positively my favourite area of study after charms. And because runes uses ambient magic completely hidden from the ministry of magic. Of course some of the magic has to be activated by wand but again some don't." explained Flitwick "and as for magic to defend yourself that is pretty much all types of magic if you are willing to look for it. You can use transfiguration to make a statue then charms and runes to enchant it to protect your bed at school. Several years ahead of the normal curriculum but you could still do it. Wards that wake you when someone walks across a line in your common room and wards that make it so only someone below a certain age can enter your bedroom. Then there are spells like _incarcurus_ and _pretificus totalus _if you wanted to cast spells at someone and ten thousand others that you could use." Professor Flitwick pondered for a second.

"Why not use parseltongue to make a snake protect you that is another option" seeing the look on Harry's face he stopped "what's wrong Mr Potter?"

"I'm just not very keen on using parseltongue" replied Harry making a sour face.

"Mr Potter to dismiss a talent like parseltongue is an incredible silly thing to do. Whether you believe it or not parseltongue is a gift that is incredibly rare. Meaning there are not many people in the world that can use it and that give you an advantage against most people it the fact that not only will they never be able to use snakes against you it also means you have a natural ally in the world.

Never listen to people that discriminate against you because of the things you can do. At one point people discriminated against me telling me that because I am part goblin I would never be able to use magic as well as a pure human yet here I am years later one of the most respected charms masters in Britain. Never let anyone tell you what is and isn't evil. They use to say animagus was the sign of a dark witch or wizard now it's a sign of a powerful magic user when both are untrue. Anyone can be an animagus with persistence."

Professor Flitwick took a sip of tea before continuing.

"My advice to you is learn everything that you want to, there is no reason to limit yourself because other people say so. Now I was heading out for lunch when you caught me and we seem to have talked for two hours so I am going to the kitchens. I would like you to live up to your parent's legacy but I can't control what you do. You have to make your own choices in life Mr Potter but my suggestion is to do what you enjoy when it comes to magic and you will find that you learn things that will help you across the field. Come get me if you need anything else" Said Flitwick as he ushered Harry out the door.

Harry stood in the hallway even after the professor had left. Hermione was right. He needed to stop looking at classes as a chore and do more in the class.

The single discussion with professor Flitwick had him more excited about magic than anything since he first learnt about magic.

He remembered going to diagon alley full of questions for Hagrid and here he was less than three years later and he was taking magic for granted.

Well that was going to change. He wanted to be fascinated by magic again.

First things first was talking to the professors for both arithmancy and ancient runes to see how he would go about getting in to both of their classes.

Harry started his walk up to professor vector's office to see if he could catch her before dinner.

Walking through the school on the weekend he thought about what the professor had said.

He was trying to think about all the things he wanted to do as a child if he could escape the Dursley household.

To have an apartment of his own. A life outside the Dursleys.

Maybe he should look at how much money his parents had left him maybe he could get out of the house and live by himself. What a dream that is.

Before he knew it he was standing at the arithmancy door quickly straightening his robes he knocked on the door to Professor Vector's office.

"Come in" He heard a feminine voice from inside.

Harry nervously walked in the office to see Professor Vector sitting at her desk with her glasses half way down her nose looking over papers.

She was the youngest of all the professors in her early thirties and apparently started teaching the year that Harry started Hogwarts. She stood just taller than Harry himself had Dark wavy hair and pale skin that comes from not being in the sun as opposed to being naturally pale, spending most of her time with her books during the year only spending significant time outside during the summer holidays always coming back to school tanned only to lose it over the year again.

She looked up at him "yes mister…"

"Potter" he supplied for her rushing forwards to shake her hand and sit in the seat opposite her when offered.

"Of course, I knew that. Who doesn't know your name around here" she said smiling at him easing his nervousness "I don't remember you being in any of my classes" she said frowning suddenly.

"Actually I'm not studying arithmancy at the moment. That's what I want to talk about" replied Harry.

"Oh?" said professor Vector taking of her glasses and placing them on the table.

"I was just talking to Professor Flitwick and after we talked about arithmancy I realised I might have made a mistake not picking this class at the start of this year" said quickly feeling his nerves come back after not seeing any reaction from her "and I was wondering how I would get into your class for next year. Professor Flitwick said that it possible for me to slip in to the fourth year class but he didn't tell me what the requirement was".

"Well it's not exactly common for a student to change classes this late in the year most of the new student change classes after the Christmas break. Obviously I can't take you into this year's class but the good news is because we have new students come in half way through the year you aren't actually that far behind everyone else. Also up to this point we haven't even looked at anything practical so maybe you can do the study over the summer." She started looking through her desk.

"I'll give you some assignments to do over the summer and when you get back if I think you can fit in with the rest of the class I'll look at putting you in to it. If you can't maybe we can do some tutoring study until half way through the year then you can join in there. I won't have you in my class until you are up to par with everyone else. Can't have you disrupting the rest of my student because you are behind. Five years is hardly enough time to study arithmancy already without having to stop and help struggling students" she said handing him a thick wad of papers and a book.

"Please read the book and papers before the holidays so you can bring any questions to me before the break".

"Thank you professor" said Harry flipping through the paper looking at some of the questions.

He could tell this was going to be incredibly challenging already. He couldn't understand even the most basic questions.

"Good luck Mr Potter" she said dismissing him "I have papers to grade".

Harry couldn't believe how easy that was and felt relieved. He expected it to be significantly more difficult to get into her class than it was. Not that he thought the assignments was going to be easy but at least if he couldn't get into her class it was his own fault instead of just being told no.

It was one more floor up that he found himself in the runes office talking to Professor Babbling, the runes professor.

An older woman with white hair and a stern look on her face who just peered down at him as he tried to explain his situation to her.

"So I was wondering if I can join your class for next year?" finished Harry hopefully.

"No" said Professor Babbling simply before looking back at the work on her desk ignoring him.

"Can I ask why not?" asked Harry deciding to persist.

Professor Babbling sighed and looked back up "You're a slightly above average student in the rest of your classes correct?" she paused watching his hesitant nod "in which case trying to get you back up to the level you need to be to keep up with the rest of my students is a waste of both our time".

Harry suddenly felt very small under her gaze but at the same time indignant that she thought so little of him.

"I fully intend to study runes with or without being in your class professor. I might not be the best student but I'm going to study runes one way or the other" Harry said back at her.

"Even if you studied for the whole of your summer break to catch up without the practical knowledge behind runes you still won't fit in with my class Mr Potter" said Professor Babbling glaring at him.

"What if I was to do the practical work over the summer as well?" he asked looking for a way into her class.

"The fact that you would even consider working on runes by yourself in a muggle neighbourhood without any supervision shows that you don't understand the risks behind the study of practical runes" she replied rubbing the bridge of her nose.

"So if I was able to find someone to supervise my runes work and they were to vouch for me you would let me into your class" Harry almost demanded.

Professor Babbling laughed wearily "you are quite stubborn aren't you?" she looked back at her papers and started to grade them again.

"If you were to study over the summer with a certified runes master and they were to you are ready to get into my fourth year class I will think about it. I'm not saying you will definitely get into my class but I will see how I'm feeling at the time at what your marks look like at the end of the year so make sure to work hard. Merlin knows where you will find a runes master with the time on his hands to oversee your studies. Now will you leave? I'm working and not getting any younger."

"You won't regret this professor. I promise" said Harry mind already running at where he would find runes master.

"Yes, yes I'm sure. Now anything else?" she said not looking up.

"Do you need an assistant during the summer?" He asked cheekily.

She chuckled loudly "no now out with you and you're time wasting".

Harry visited the library on the way back to his common room picking up a book called '_the basics of using runes in the real world' _as well as a runes manual for his study. he also picked up a few different books on charms and transfiguration that he found interesting. the runes book having him completely engrossed as he walked back to his common room. He had booked the books out for until after his summer break so he could keep on looking through them over his holiday.

He had his nose deep in the book while he wandered through the corridors of Hogwarts frequently finding himself in the wrong place as he tried to navigate without paying too much attention to the path.

It looked like the person that wrote the book was trying to get more people interested in runes and opened the first chapter with basic things people with little knowledge of runes could do without too much trouble like locking arrays and how to use simple charms with runes that he was interested in testing before the month was over.

Professor Babbling had hinted that his exam score would impact his chance to get into his class so there was no way he wasn't going to work hard to pass well in the class exams.

He figured that if he wasn't going to study astronomy and divination next year he could sacrifice studying those subjects to make sure he did well in the others.

Whatever he did he saw a hard experience ahead of him. He would have to study harder in the next month then he ever had before.

Not that he had ever actually worked hard on his studies before so it would be a new experience anyway.

As he walked into the common room all he could think was '_well at least the next month is going to be exciting'._

_That's it for now._

_From now on all authors' notes will be at the top and be short._

_I hate when I read a new chapter of a book and I think I have half the chapter left because I'm only halfway down the screen but the authors' note takes up a quarter of the story. Hate it hate it hate it. It's like someone giving you a meal then taking it halfway through saying that's all you get to eat even though there's more on the plate._

_If the magic system I tried to explain sounds like shit give me a heads up so I can look at rewriting it. I have a firm idea in my head but when I try and explain it in the third person I struggle. _

_Lachlan _


	2. chapter 2

_Disclaimer- I don't know anything._

_Author's note- at some point I was sent a message from an anonymous reviewer saying that Harry studying Japanese had ruined the story for him. Obviously I have misunderstood something about the English schooling system because in Australia we study a LOTE (language other than English) in primary school and generally it's Japanese or French and that's where I was coming from. _

_He wasn't doing independent study because that would be ridiculous he just studied it at school like everyone else._

Finding A Teacher

Harry walked into the common room after his meeting with the professors about swapping classes, runes book still glued to his face. It had been a few hours since he had started out to avoid Hermione yet when he came back he had changed classes, changed his opinion on his studies and changed his view on magic.

He had never looked up magic just for recreational use. By the time he had finished his classes for the day he was tired of books and writing as well as turning quills into hedgehogs and making pens dance on tables so he never looked at the more practical magic in his books.

What a mistake. The things he must have missed.

Looking around Harry saw Ron and Hermione sitting on the couch near the roaring fire in what seemed to be equally fiery argument.

"Hermione we have a month before we have to do our exams so could you get off me and Harry's back about it."

"What exactly are you expecting to do when you leave Hogwarts with these type of scores?" asked Hermione "take Filch's job when he eventually leaves".

"Merlin Hermione, its years away who cares" exclaimed Ron.

"Everyone. Ever. Who isn't complete layabout idiot" she hissed.

"Well both me and Harry have been through a traumatic experience and we can't study yet so give us a little bit of time and stop being such a slave driver" Ron shouted at her.

Harry watched as Hermione rushed past him with brimming tears in her eyes.

He considered going after her but first he would get rid of all the extra stuff he was carrying. No point lugging it all over the castle for a second time. His back was already getting sore from the books.

Harry was pulled out of his stupor by Ron calling out across the common room "Hey Harry, want to hang out for a bit. You still need to tell me what happened last night after I passed out".

"Nah mate I think I better go after Hermione after I put down these books" Harry replied walking past Ron and heading for his room.

If he was to be honest Harry hated the fighting that went on between Hermione and Ron, especially when they put him in the middle of it. He had no interest with siding with one over the other but he always seemed to be pulled in to the argument anyway. Both of them where wrong in a way but as usual Hermione was too stubborn to let something go and as usual Ron's temper escalated the disagreement.

Harry did have to make comparisons between Ron and Hermione's argument and the discussion he had with Hermione this morning though. He really hoped he didn't sound like Ron when he said he didn't want to study because of what happened the night before because hearing it from the outside it sounded really childish and stupid.

Apologising to Hermione had moved one step further up his list of priorities.

"Just leave her. She's fine. Sit down and she'll be back harping in your ear about one thing or the other within the hour."

Sometimes Ron frustrated him. His total lack of empathy could almost be called a talent.

Harry sighed. He already knew the answer to the question before he even asked it.

"I'm going looking for her. Are you coming?"

Ron looked back at the quidditch magazine in front of him and crossed his leg over his knee.

"I think I'll stay here in case she comes back. I'll tell her you were looking for her if she gets back before you find her." He looked back up at Harry rubbing his leg "Madame Pomfrey said I shouldn't be running around on the bad leg, you know?"

"Ok fine, I'll go looking by myself." Harry huffed before charging up the stairs and dumping his bag on the bed. There was a moment where he considered not going after Hermione and just reading a bit more of his book but he figured he owed it to her.

If it wasn't for her pursuing his out of the common room and down to Flitwick's office then he would have never actually met with the professors or found himself striving to get into runes and arithmancy next year. He had also been a bit of a dick to her over being sent the firebolt from Sirius for Christmas. In retrospect she was right the broom having been from Sirius black and Harry was just lucky that he wasn't the killer he was accused of being.

Finding Hermione was harder than he first anticipated. The library was a bust as was the dining hall. Harry found himself just wandering through the school back tracking all the places she could go. He stopped to ask some passers-by getting pointed in one direction or the other.

It took him the better part of an hour before he found himself standing outside the girl's bathroom on the first floor floor.

He was having a very distinct flash of deja' vu as he walked over to open the door. The only thing missing was the screaming from inside. And the troll on second thought.

It wasn't that hard to find the stall she was in as he just followed the quiet crying to the closed door of her toilet. It was at this point that Harry realised that he had no idea what he was going to say.

"I know that you're out there Harry."

Hermione slowly opened the door revealing her eyes, red and puffy and face blotchy from her tears but she was smiling up at her friend. Just Harry being there had cheered Hermione up exponentially. While Ron might have been Harry's best friend Harry was definitely Hermione's best friend as Harry was always there when Hermione needed him even when they had fought just a few hours before.

"I bet I look awful" she laughed wiping her face and eyes.

"I'll be honest, it's not fantastic" Harry smiled back at her. This seemed to be going better than he thought it would. She seemed to be in a good mood already while he was fretting about how to cheer her up. Harry wanted to say something to make her feel better.

'_Ron's a jerk don't pay attention to what he says.'_ Or _'even though I complain about it I like that you care enough to nag me about my studies. In moderation.' _But neither seemed appropriate.

If she wanted to ignore the whole thing he was glad to go along with it. Harry hated being placed in a position between his friends. All he needed was a subject changer.

"I talked to the professors about how to get into _runes_ and _arithmancy _for next year. Any chance you want to help me out at some point?"

"Really? Harry that's amazing. Will you be in my classes next year or the third years? What subject did you drop? Do you think you'll be able to keep up? Arithmancy isn't the easiest of courses." Hermione gushed. It was like a switch being turned on. If she was happy before Hermione was ecstatic now shooting questions at him as fast as she could talk.

"Slow down Hermione" Harry laughed. Inside he could feel a ball of stress he didn't realise was gathering in his chest disappear and he was relieved. If Hermione was helping him study then maybe this was something that he could actually do. He didn't really want to admit it but the idea of learning a year worth of _runes _and _arithmancy_ was incredibly daunting.

Then as quickly as it came it was gone again. She was going to have kittens when he told her that he wasn't going to study for the _astronomy_ and _divination _finals.

"How did this happen? You seemed to have no interest in the subjects when I talked about them before." Hermione linked her arm through his forgetting about her red face and marching him out of the bathroom and heading towards dinner. Both of the teens had skipped breakfast because they were in the hospital wing and as they walked to the grand hall Harry realised he had also skipped lunch during his multiple interviews with the teachers of his (hopefully) new subjects so he was absolutely famished.

Harry listened to Hermione prattle on for most of the dinner about how excited she was and he found that about halfway through his meal it started to become contagious and he started talking to her about what he found in his book in the brief period of time that he got to read it and asking her questions about what she studied in her year. He hadn't seen her talk about anything with this much enthusiasm since he first met her and was starting to see what she meant when she said she loved magic. She really did.

She didn't even notice when Ron came over and sat on the other side of her, too wrapped up in her explanation of her mid-year runes project a (theoretical) stick that gathered light and heat during the day and projected it during the night or any time there was an absence of light to see the red headed boy sit down and start to eat his dinner.

Hermione had told him that most of the student that looked for summer work generally had it sorted out by this point based on their mid-year marks but there was always jobs at the end of the year as well. Apparently most students went through their head of house to sort out a job meaning he would have to go talk to Professor McGonagall tomorrow morning to see if she could help him out.

Convincing Hermione that they should both go to bed proved to be more difficult than he first expected. Hermione seemed to be more excited to talk about the subjects she had been doing all year than Harry was to be doing the subjects. He eventually managed it though slipping in to bed and after taking a second all the aches and pains of the day before came back to him.

Harry was exhausted but his mind wouldn't stop racing over what Professor Flitwick had said to him today during their talk and that's when it hit him.

Would his parents be ashamed of him for not working hard? Both his father and mother seemed to excel in school and work hard yet he hadn't. Would they be disappointed?

The idea that they would be devastated Harry.

With this thought Harry found it doubly hard to get to sleep. Not only because of his excitement about the new subjects he may get to study next year but also because he was worried about how his parents would react to his life so far.

Sure he had done some remarkable things and they might be proud but he had never tried for anything in his life. He floundered during his childhood with the Dursleys and also put in little effort for the start of his school life at Hogwarts.

He would make them proud. He would be brilliant. He had four years left of his education and he would be the best thing this school had ever seen. Even if it killed him.

That was the thing going through Harry's head when he went to sleep.

He wanted more. He would be more.

* * *

The next morning Harry was up early in the morning looking to find Professor McGonagall early so she was free to help him out. She was usually in her office for the first few hours in the morning as to help any students that needed it for assignments or projects.

Surprisingly she didn't have a line outside her door when he got there. He assumed that she would have at least few people waiting for her given the student assessments had come out just the day before. He was pleased that he wouldn't have to wait too long.

That was until he looked at his watch.

5:30AM.

He was sure it was later than that when he got up.

"_Tempus" _Harry cast silently watching as a string of numbers slithered out of his wand showing it _was _in fact 5:30AM or rather 5:37AM.

His watch was a little slow.

At least that meant he would be the first person in line to see the professor.

It took fifteen minutes for Professor McGonagall to show up but it might as well have been the slowest 15 minutes in Harry's life. Without anything to do a fourteen year old could get very bored very quickly. Harry didn't even have a book to read.

That's why Professor McGonagall walked down the corridor to see one of her most troublesome student sitting with his head against her door and his eyes closed.

"Mr Potter?" the professor asked as she walked up to the door "What has happened that I find you at my door at this time in the morning? Another big adventure that you should properly leave to the adults?"

Harry's eyes shot open quickly. Looking up to see one of the strictest teachers in the school peering down at him. He didn't even hear her walk up he must have been in his own world.

It took him a minute to register what she had said.

"Actually professor I'm here to see you. I wanted to talk to you about getting me some work experience or some sort of traineeship in ancient runes this summer. I've talked to professor Babbling and professor Vector about getting in to their classes and professor Babbling said I'm only allowed in if I get some experience over the summer with a trained ancient runes practitioner." Harry said quickly realising he was quite nervous. If she said no than this whole thing went down the toilet.

"Come in and sit down Mr Potter" McGonagall said as she walked through her magically opening office door and set down the papers she was carrying on her desk. This was not what she was expecting the first thing in the morning or ever for that matter.

"Tea Mr Potter?" asked the professor as she sat down at her desk and poured herself a cup as he declined his.

"Mr Potter I'm not going to help you get a position with a runes practitioner."

She stopped as she saw the look of betrayal in Harry's eyes. She sighed slowly before continuing.

"when I recommend students to go and work or study under people I've taught or met before I'm putting my reputation on the line. I can't just recommend anyone to them because if my students do poorly then it reflects on me poorly and because I've never seen you actually commit yourself to your studies I won't put myself out there for you. I'm sorry."

She really was sorry. Harry was one of her favourite students but bright, no not really and she couldn't just help a student just because she liked him. It would be unfair for all the other student in the school. She didn't trust Harry to commit himself enough that she could justify getting him a position.

"You don't think I can do it?" Harry half asked half stated. Being dismissed that easily by his house head hurt. It also made him quite upset. She had never trusted him. Every time he had come to her before she had dismissed him.

"To be honest Mr Potter no I don't and I'm not going to put myself out there for you. If you're insistent on going through with this you will have to do it yourself. Now is there anything else?"

Harry thought about saying something but he kept his temper reined in. if he said anything it would just lead to trouble chances are for him. This didn't stop him from slamming the door on the way out. Childish? Sure but at least he could take his anger out on something.

How would he find a runes practitioner if his head of house wouldn't help him. What was he meant to do now?

His first idea was to go to Professor Dumbledore. The headmaster had a habit of helping Harry out when he asked. Especially after he helped Harry save Sirius from the dementor's kiss just a few days ago. He could also go to Professor Babbling and ask her if she knew anyone that could help him.

He decided that the headmaster was properly the best bet at this point. He didn't want Professor Babbling to think that she had to hold his hand before he even got to study under her but the headmaster usually didn't get into his office until later in the day. He held unusually late office hours in the afternoon so he wasn't generally up until about breakfast at eight o'clock.

It was on his way back up to the Gryffindor tower that another idea hit him. That's how he found himself outside Professor Flitwick's door for the second time in as many days. He distinctly remembered the charms professor saying that if he needed anything to come on back to see him and he would do what he could to help.

The head of the Ravenclaw, as distinct from his own had quite a few people waiting outside his office so it took Harry almost two hours of waiting before he even got to the door. The Ravenclaw students obviously being more intellectually ambitious that of the Gryffindor's house had proven themselves with the amount of bright eyed students waiting to get to meet there head of house at six in the morning.

It was just before eight when he got to the door and knocked only for it to open immediately and the small professor to charge almost straight into him.

"Mr Potter here to meet me again or running away from young miss Granger?" Professor Flitwick said with a smile.

"No I don't think Hermione gets up this early even if it is to study" Flitwicks grin lit up Harry's, otherwise quite depressing morning. It's quite surprising how contagious the little mans over the top cheery attitude is.

"I was wondering if you could help me find someone to study under over the summer for ancient runes. I was told by professor Babbling that the only way I am able to get into her classes for next year is if I get someone qualified to say I am up to the level."

"And here I was thinking that you were just here to disrupt my meal for the second time." Said the charms professor, grin still evident on his face. "Do you honestly expect to be able to handle the work load of being a student under a runes practitioner and being able to do your arithmancy work as well as the rest of your school work?" asked Professor Flitwick out of pure curiosity and without a hint of doubt in his voice.

"I promise if you help me out with a teacher I won't let you down" Harry said with conviction looking the professor dead in the eye hoping to somehow convey how much he wanted this with his eyes.

"If that's how you feel then it would be my duty as a teacher to help you out. I will ask around and see if I can find anyone that will take you on. if you need a runes master the chances of you getting a tutor is quite small. Most runes masters don't waste their time with tutoring given they could get quite a bit more money just working in their field and would rather get assistants or employees to work under them. Since you don't have very much experience in runes i think we will better of looking at larger companies than a one on one based thing." he seemed to pause to go through his desk and pulled out a wad of business cards and started sorting through them.

"Chances are that they will expect to be able to interview you so could you write up a summary of your skills as a wizard that can be sent off to them. It's important that when you write it out you make sure not to be modest at all. If you think your good at something then tell them that you're fantastic at it. If you have a skill that others don't make sure to put it down."

He handed Harry a blank application form from his desk before he walked out of the room and locked the door ushering Harry to the dining hall in his frantic pace that he known for.

"Fill out this form then bring it back to me. I'll make sure it's decent and we can see about setting you up some interviews with the interested parties." He stopped briefly and turned to Harry.

"I expect the _patronus _charm to be on this list as well as your parselmouth abilities and say you have a basic grasp of runes and arithmancy as well as, let's say advanced problem solving skills and quick thinking. If anyone has the right to say that it's you."

At this point he grabbed Harry's shoulders making sure Harry knew that the next part was important.

"There may be some people that will want you to work for them just for your name. It's your decision if you do that or not and no-one else's."

He turned and started his way back to the dining hall but Harry didn't follow.

Was it right to use his name to get the job.

Could he live with himself knowing the only reason he got into his class was because he had someone pander to him.

On the other hand could he live with himself knowing he had the opportunity to get a job and get in to the class he wanted but didn't take it because he was too proud to use the advantage that was given to him?

It was the question that plagued his mind as he went in to the dining hall.

* * *

Filius Flitwick sat down beside his long-time friend and colleague Minerva McGonagall as they ate breakfast together.

"Would you believe that Harry potter came to me today about getting a trainee-ship to get into ancient runes for next year. I don't know what got into that boy. I like him enough as a student but to be able to learn a whole year's worth of assigned work for not one, but two subjects in the few months of that they get off is absolutely ludicrous. I can't use my contact to get him a job only for him to fail. I'll be a laughing stock" McGonagall said to him as she ate.

Filius was silently surprised. He should have guest that Harry would go to his own house head before coming to him but to hear she didn't help for something as stupid as her reputation was shocking. he knew she had become more jaded after the war but this was the first time he had seen her not going out of her way to help a student. Was it just Harry that she wouldn't help or had she made herself inaccessible to the rest of her student so that they didn't come to her unless it was an emergency. Neither of these options were good. Filius knew that the next conversation may strain their relationship but he felt that maybe it had to be said.

"Mr Potter came to me afterwards to ask for my help in the matter" said Filius as he placed down his knife and fork. He looked down the hall to see Harry sitting with his friends one talking in each ear but Harry seemed to be in his own world. Flitwick was glad that Harry was taking the conundrum that he had placed in front of him outside the dining hall seriously. It was one of the things that the charms professor could see coming up quite often in his life.

"Then you know what I mean? You can't just hand out these positions we have to help the students that put themselves forward and dedicate themselves to their studies." Minerva said to him quietly.

Professor Flitwick knew what she was doing. She was looking for justification to not help the young Potter.

"It is our job to help all students at any time that they ask Minerva. You should know that. There is nothing more important than imparting knowledge on our students. Not time, not effort and definitely not our reputation. That is why I will help the young Mr Potter in any task he asks of me. I trust him to do what he says he will. He's a good boy and I think he will make a fine young man. If you'll excuse me I have to go and organize the interviews for _all_ of my students, not just the ones i think will bolster my peer's opinion of me".

Filius Flitwick stood leaving a bewildered McGonagall behind him as he headed to the door. He had work to do.

* * *

_done._

_I would say next chapter is when it starts to pick up some more with a little bit more of the action-y adventure-y stuff._

_L . J _


	3. Chapter 3

_Author's note- I apologize for the huge authors note. I intend to clear up some things that I feel people are worried about and explain my view on characters so you can see where I'm coming from. I won't say how they will change but seeing people from my point of view will properly help you understand why people do what they do in my story. remember this is my point of view on the characters and how they will develop as characters. i'm not saying i'm 100% right but in this story this is how i'm going to use the characters._

_In regards to harry studying Japanese as a child it has no relevance to the story at all so you don't have to worry about me bringing it back. I just don't like the idea of harry not even looking at his other options in picking subjects and following Ron so I added a weak cause. I studied Indonesian in grade 1-3 and Japanese from 4-10. It was really just my go to subject with absolutely no relevance to the story. He could study pig Latin and it would be the same amount of importance. Ok fuck it after the 5__th__ message about Japanese in about 15 review Bam changed it no biggie now he studied french._

_Also I feel I have to point out that with this story a good portion of the start is going to be the transition from how characters are shown in the book to how they fit in to the story I'm writing. While some of them are overdone I feel like it's important that characters don't do a 180 just because it's going to work in the story and that I lead them to where they actually have cause to change. I don't want them waking up and being completely different. _

_At this point harry is a push over and a bit of a dead weight who has little self-confidence stemming from a shitty childhood who is starting to change as the story goes. I've given him a fascination with how magic works because it's important to his development in magic but I don't want anything to change unnaturally. The idea of living up to his parents is important so I didn't have him contact Remus or Sirius because they would just reassure him and I don't want that. I want him to use him parents as a measuring stick to some extent. While JK ROWLING used Harry's semi-abusive childhood to make him tender and caring I would rather think he was ignored as a child and likes the idea of being a hero because then people will pay attention to him but he also doesn't like the idea of being so self-serving so he passes it off as helping others out when really he wants to be recognised. He just hasn't realised that's what he wants yet. _

_I view Ron as a lay-about pure and simple who has little to contribute and actively holds harry back in his studies but in some stories I can see how that works. he injects the more reckless and carefree part of the story while creating a buffer between harry and Hermione so as the fans don't expect a relationship. if Ron didn't exist then J.K ROWLING wouldn't have any other option then to put Hermione and harry together or add another character. I don't think Ron works in any situation where academically harry changes to be more studious unless he takes a more secondary role in Harry's life as a less important character or he changes (unrealistically) into a less jealous and more mature character. at this point as harry is portrayed as a loyal guy in the books I don't want him to turn around all of a sudden and tell Ron to stick it up his ass then leave. It has to flow so there has to be a cause for him to react to (if they do have a falling out that is) Ron has little man syndrome and always wants to be on top but refuses to work for it because anything he can possible do his family has done it before him. Ron's in a cycle of self-doubt about his own worth and overestimating everyone else's thinking everyone else got a better hand then him. while it can be argued that because Ron grew up in the magical world that's what has caused him to be less academic but that being said even the things he does enjoy and want to do he doesn't work on it or at least isn't shown to work on anything. I have no interest in kicking to the curb any time soon but the story is about harry, i'm not going to spend a large amount of time trying to redeem Ron's actions or character._

_Hermione is an insecure little girl that's only friends have been the characters in her books and the people who defended her from bullies in school which I assume was the teachers leading her to value the ideals that the teachers represent which would be the rules. As a girl with no friends as a child I would think she is an antisocial who uses her brains, which would have been praised by her teachers who are the cornerstone of her childhood, to establish other friendships. _

_When that didn't work she committed herself to be the best student so all the other kids couldn't ignore her anymore. After years of doing this she has two boys who are suddenly her friends and she tries to cement their friendship the only way she knows how by flaunting her knowledge at them like she did to teachers as a child. _

_In regards to Flitwick saying she had little imagination she comes from a world where laws were unbreakable and science ruled. when A is added to B then C happens. I don't think if magic existed then it would be so linear and I intend to write it as such something I might show in this chapter. _

_Filius Flitwick is an overly cheery part goblin character who seems excitable at all times. He is obviously a brilliant wizard and given his status as a dueling champion I think if pushed he would be incredibly vicious and would enjoy it. You don't learn to fight and compete unless you actually enjoy, to some extent striking another person._

_In a world where bigots believe that other humans shouldn't learn magic because of their non-magic parents, he would have really struggled as a child growing up and learning magic with everyone else. So at this point, as head of house at a prestigious school, a master in charms, and a dueling champion he has proven himself. But given his rough childhood I would expect he detaches himself from involvement with others on an emotional level. A brilliant teacher who cares about his students but has little in the way of friends which ties in to the difference between Flitwick and McGonagall._

_both prodigal in their fields and both (I assume) born before or during the Grindelwald war and then fighting through the first Voldemort war, both losing students to the war but the difference is McGonagall is not just losing students but friends and family left, right, and center while Flitwick didn't have the friends to lose and detached himself from all but a few students when they left school so wasn't affected to the same level._

_And that's why I think I think McGonagall is more detached from her students now, because she spent years watching them die and doesn't want to tie herself to anyone._

* * *

_**A Bar Expedition **_

It took Harry three days and around fifteen copies of the application form to fill it out to the point that he was satisfied. Having to evaluate yourself and write it down proved to be a more challenging exercise than Harry had first expected. He followed Professor Flitwick's advice and overestimated his skills, even if it made him feel moderately guilty.

In this time he had been studying diligently with Hermione, much to Ron's chagrin. Ron didn't take Harry moving to improve his grades very well and seemed to go out of his way to distract Harry when he could. Harry had yet to tell Ron that he had no intention of studying divination or astronomy next year. That would not blow over well.

Hermione was ecstatic to not have to force Harry to study and it showed in how she acted over the last few days. Having at least one of her friends taking his schooling seriously seemed to stem the stress Hermione usually felt at this time of year. She regularly would go down the stairs to the common room in the morning only to find Harry sitting by the fire with a book in his lap. His obsession with practicing his magic so much was starting to get on her nerves. She had given him a list of subjects to study for the exams at the end of the year but even though she knew he could do the spells required for them she would see him practicing them over and over again.

All his extra study did not prevent Harry from reading through his runes book as well as his arithmancy book. He was both terrified and exhilarated by how difficult the arithmancy looked. Using mathematics to alter spells was both exciting and a scary concept. The book at explicitly repeated more than once how incredible dangerous it was to attempt spell creation but the more he read the more rewarding an area of study it looked to be.

He had delivered his application to the charms professor who had told him that, without a doubt he would secure him interviews to help him get in to _runes_ course for next year. Flitwick had told him that, since he wasn't looking for a specific area of study just someone that used a certain type of magic he was in pretty good spirits about Harry getting a job. He had asked Harry what kind of job he would prefer to work in only to look up and see Harry's blank face looking back at him. In the end he had decided that maybe he would just send the application form to a wide range of people.

One of Harry's early ideas (at Hermione's prompting) was to get in contact with Bill Weasley who was Ron's eldest brother to see if his boss could take on Harry as a worker for the summer but Harry got back a message saying, in no uncertain terms that when bill broached the subject with his boss the man had shown absolutely no interest in giving Harry a position under him. The return letter pretty much said Harry was too young, and too inexperienced to get the job. It was slightly more polite but the undertone was one of derision.

* * *

_Harry_

_I'm sure you're a nice enough kid but my boss said he would be looking for someone that could handle the environment that we work in and we both feel you just don't have that quality at the moment. _

_Maybe in a few years you can look at applying again but as of now we are declining your application._

_We have hired a young witch from France who is top five in all her classes and has letters of glowing commendation from her professors. This is what you should aim for to work for a company like the one I do._

Bill Weasley,

Williamson's Artifact Recovery and Restoration Services,

* * *

The letter had made Harry reasonable disheartened but, again Professor Flitwick's optimism was incredibly contagious and had Harry in high spirits quite quickly.

Harry was wandering to the dining hall for dinner with Hermione who, thankfully had calmed down significantly over the last few days but had taken to spending significantly more time with Harry than with Ron.

It was at this point that he found himself approached by McGonagall her usual stern frown sitting on her face.

"Mr Potter, a word if you please" she said before turning and walking into one of the many empty classrooms. Harry rushed to follow.

He waited as she stood peering down at him "Miss is there something wrong?" he asked suddenly unnerved by her gaze.

There was something wrong. Not that she would tell Harry that. She had been thinking about what Filius had said to her and while she hadn't made up her mind on whether to help Harry or not she felt the window of opportunity closing to help the boy and decided to jump in reputation be damned. She would not be shown up by Filius Flitwick and have him look down on her. She cared for her students and she would prove it.

"I've decided to help you in your endeavor to study runes over the summer. Despite the risk it is my duty as a teacher to help you better yourself even if I don't think it's a very good idea." All the while the same stern look adorned her face.

Harry was surprised. He was sure there was no way she would help him. Then her words sunk in. he hated that she looked down on him.

"I'm sorry but I don't think I need your help. Professor Flitwick said he could get me some job interviews and I trust him. But thanks anyway professor" and with that Harry started for the door.

"Nonsense as your head of house it is my duty to get my students interviews for summer placement. Now I have these papers for you to fill out and once your done can you hand them back to me" she said as she pulled papers out of her robe to give to him only for him to hold both hands in the air over his chest declining the application form.

"All the same I think I will stick to Professor Flitwick. I've already handed in my papers and he sent them off this morning. Am I dismissed professor?" he asked as he stood his ground. He half expected to be getting detentions or point reductions by now.

"Why is it, Mr Potter that you won't accept my help?" she pulled her glasses off and rubbed the bridge of her nose "is it because I declined helping you before?"

"Not at all. While I was upset about that it's not why I won't let you help me. It's because you already expect me to fail while the thought didn't even cross Professor Flitwick's mind. He believed in me when you don't." with that Harry walked out of the room leaving a flabbergasted woman behind him.

* * *

It was only a week later that Harry found himself leaving through the floo in the charms office.

Nervous, excited, scared, and giddy were the emotions running through Harry's mind as he made his way to the dragon's fire bar in diagon alley. He had stepped out of the floo, rather, he had stumbled like a drunken idiot out of the floo in the 'leaky cauldron' deciding professor Flitwick's advice about coming here and walking to the dragons fire was a good idea.

He would have been really embarrassed flooing in direct and being seen by his future employer or trainee or whoever hired him falling on his face.

Also possible not the greatest start to an interview.

Professor Flitwick had lines up 5 different interviews for Harry one after the next starting at the start of every hour. Harry would be sitting in this bar for about 6 hours all together and he could see himself having an exhausting day. Professor Flitwick had ran him through mock interviews in preparation for today but Harry still felt completely unprepared for it. He had even sent a message to his godfather Sirius black asking for advice on what expect coming in to this. He figured he might as well get as much help as he possible could because he was feeling like he had a distinct disadvantage over the other applicants.

Sirius had sent back a short message telling him that even though he had not applied for many jobs in his time one piece of advice always stuck with him when he did go in to the interviews. '_the job that you apply for in never the job the employer says it is and the applicant is never as good as he says he is'. _Basically he explained that both parties expected the other to embellish on both what the job they expect you to do is and what the employee can actually do. He also told Harry to keep him updated on what the results are so he can help Harry out further when they actually know what he is doing.

The inside of the 'Dragon's Fire' was the classiest bar that Harry had been in (not that he'd been in many) with its clean and modern look and suit wearing bartenders Harry struggled to associate the interior with archaic street that he had entered from. All glass and metal with little outside light coming in most of it from hovering bluebell fire's that rotated the room keeping it dark but not inconveniently so.

There was only a few patrons in the bar at eleven in the morning and as opposed to the clientele at the 'leaky cauldron' most of them looked like professionals instead of just drop kicks who have nowhere to go.

It was another hour before Harry's first interview so he decided to go and sit by the bar and wait ordering a chilled butterbeer and relaxing at the bar while reading over the jobs that he was applying for. There was two enchanters that he was meant to meet as well as a curse breaker and another two ward casters in that order each from large companies with good reputations meaning if they said he was ready for his fourth year runes then their decisions were above reproach and guaranteeing his entry.

Personally he was hoping to get a job with one of the ward casters because that was what he was most interested in but as a curse breaker he could rub it in Bill Weasley's face if he ever saw him. At this point the enchanters seemed both above his level and the most time consuming leaving meaning that he would have little time to work on his arithmancy.

* * *

About thirty minutes in to his hour wait a man sat down next to him.

"You're a little young to be in a bar this early in the mornin' aren't cha?" the man said ordering a fire whiskey from the bartender.

Harry took a second to look at the man. His Heavy, weather beaten tan robes with a hood and waist belt filled with a large wicked looking knife and several vials full of potions was the first thing Harry noticed. The man looked quite young, maybe thirty with messy, sandy blonde hair and a short stubble beard. He was even more out of place in the sophisticated bar that Harry but carried himself with an unrealistic amount of self-confidence making Harry somehow both uncomfortable and at ease at the same time.

"I'm actually waiting for someone" Harry replied quietly not wanting to make too much noise and draw attention to himself.

"What a coincidence, so am I. I'm selling some items to Gringotts and you know how those fucken goblins are. I can't just meet them at the bank or one of their offices they give me this bar and tell me they will meet me here _'today'. _I'm meant to waste my entire day here waiting for them. If it wasn't some big prices I'm expecting for these artifacts I'd just leave." He knocked back the firewhiskey sitting in front of him and slammed the tumbler back on the table, obviously not having Harry's trepidation over making too much noise. "What about you?"

"I'm applying for a few summer jobs and I'm meeting some people here for the interviews".

"Ahh I remember going to interviews. Fucking hate it. That's why I work for myself nowadays. What are you applying for?" The stranger said as he ordered another drink.

"I'm trying to get into ancient runes. I'm going in to fourth year and I didn't take ancient runes this year so I need to get some experience and a recommendation from a certified runes user or my professor won't let me in." Harry said looking around slowly. It was getting to the time when he expected the interviewer to get here.

"Jeez, you expect to get in without doing runes before? What jobs are you applying for?"

Harry was starting to feel a little self-conscience "two ward caster's jobs, two enchanter's jobs, and a curse breaker job."

The man snorted to himself quietly but Harry still heard it. "Well both ward casters and enchanters are almost entirely based around runes with a bit of arithmancy thrown in while the curse breakers are more adventure and not as technical but I don't think they will employ someone so young because it's too dangerous and kids seem to freeze up when the shit hits the fan. You do arithmancy?" the man asked but Harry shook his head "I think you might be shit out of luck then mate".

Harry was about to retort when he felt someone tap him on the shoulder. He turned to see an older woman behind him, short with thinning white hair.

"Mr Potter?" she asked waiting for his reply in the affirmative "my name is Isabell lynch and if you will come to the booth professor Flitwick has reserved for the interview we will get started."

Harry followed her to a booth with a rope around it which one of the staff quickly removed letting them sit down.

The interview went pretty much exactly how Professor Flitwick said it would and most of the questions where the same as he had practiced and Harry felt less nervous knowing that most of his answers where actually doctored by the charms professor earlier that week for this exact situation.

Then came the end of the interview.

"Ok Mr Potter let's get down to the big question. Why should we hire you over the people with actual runes experience? Enchanting is delicate work with little room for mistakes what makes you better suited for it then our other applicants?" the old woman asked looking down her nose at him.

Harry didn't have an answer. He tried to think of something but he just ended up stumbling over his words while she looked on while he felt himself glow with embarrassment. It felt like years before she stopped him but it was properly only a few minutes before she took mercy on him.

"Mr Potter I'm going to be honest. The chances of you getting this job are pretty slim. You would have to be an absolutely extraordinary wizard for us to hire you with no experience. You have a remarkable resume' but none of the things listed look like they would help you with enchanting where we look mostly at your academic record and yours is, quite frankly not very impressive. I'm sorry Mr Potter. We will be in contact to discuss the job perimeters if you do, in fact get the job" She got up slowly and started towards the door before Harry stopped her.

"I'm sorry miss but do you mind if I ask you a question?" Harry asked quickly. He was pretty upset that his first interview had gone so poorly but he couldn't give up yet.

"That would be fine but please keep it short. I have to get back to work." She replied.

"I have a few other interviews today is there any advice you can give me?"

"Actually yes. That last question is the most important one. It's the one the interviewer would remember when he or she leaves the interview. Make sure to think up a good answer before your next meeting. What makes you the best person for the job?" she looked at her watch before saying goodbye and bidding him good luck on his next interview.

The whole interview process had taken about thirty minutes leaving Harry another thirty before his next one so Harry found himself sitting back in the same seat he sat in when he first arrived next to a same grinning man.

"That was embarrassing" he laughed.

"Shut up, it's bad enough without you teasing me." Harry was quietly quite upset that he was getting talked down to by some guy he didn't even know.

He continued to laugh but waved off Harry's anger as he apologizing "I'm sorry, my names Lucus by the way." He held out his hand for Harry to shake which Harry took but regretted under Lucus's vice like grip. He was deceptively strong for his medium build, not small but in no way a man mountain only just breaking six foot if that.

Harry introduced himself quickly before staying silent thinking for an appropriate answer to the question broached to him. What made him better that the other applicants? What made him special?

His time passed to quickly for him and he found himself sitting across from a stern looking middle aged man who spent the whole time looking down his nose at Harry taking little to no interest in the interview obviously having blown Harry off as a lost cause before even getting to the interview. He basically just listed of the questions at Harry while making a small amount of notes in a notebook and before he knew it the man had left. It had barely been ten minutes.

Again he was back in the seat next to the man he had come to know as Lucus.

"Don't worry about that one. That guy was a total dick-bag. Just keep your head in the game for your next interview. Don't get depressed, don't get upset, and don't get angry just remember confidence is key. If ya act like you're the best thing to walk in to this bar then others will assume you're at least half as good as you say you are" Lucus said as he patted Harry on the back and ordered two more drinks. It was pretty obvious that he was just trying to cheer up the down-trodden Hogwarts student but it did make Harry feel slightly better.

It was only a few minutes before the Bartender put two drinks in front of Lucus which he paid for in excess with a nod and slid one in front of Harry who looked scandalized.

"I don't drink. I'm underage" Harry said sliding the drink back but it was put in front of him again more firmly.

"it's pretty easy to see that your more nervous now than you were when you came in. you don't want to be going In to an interview nervous. You go in confident and they will be more likely to hire you. And the drink will calm you down" Lucus said easily before leaning across Harry and grabbing his Resume'.

It was a few minutes before Harry's nerves caught up with him and he hesitantly grabbed the drink in front of his and took a sip. He had, at one point over the year tried firewhiskey that he was given by one of the Weasley twins after a quidditch game and struggled to finish the drink with both his mouth and nose burning but the whiskey in the glass was way better. Still bitter and burnt his mouth but compared to the firewhiskey it was a god-send.

Harry was half way through his drink before he heard Lucus whistle in appreciation before putting the resume' back on the table.

"You killed a basilisk?" Harry nodded "and you know parseltongue?" Harry nodded again "you can cast a corporeal patronus?" Harry replied in the affirmative.

"Fuck me, that's pretty impressive." Lucus Grinned. "Make sure the curse breaker knows that when you talk to him because that's a few real rare talents. Who knows, we might just get you a job after all."

"Thanks. Why are you helping me? If you don't mind me asking." Harry asked looking up at him.

"I'll be honest. I'm pretty bored and there is no saying I won't be here until midnight tonight so I'll entertain myself by helping you."

The effects of Harry's recently finished drink had him more open in the discussion and slightly less tense than he was before but his head remained clear "why do you start with fire whiskey when this is so much better?" Harry gestured to the Lucus's drink which he tipped back and finished before answering.

"Well I enjoy whiskey and firewhiskey tastes horrible but in does make my next few drinks taste way better. In comparison of course." He pointed to Harry's drink offering him a second which Harry quickly turned down.

"I thinks that's your two o-clock Mr Potter" Lucus said with a grin as he gestured to the man that just walked in the door.

The curse breaker that was interviewing him was quite young and pretty good natured. He took Harry seriously unlike the previous one and he didn't think they would find someone with a better answer to the question _'describe a high stress situation that you have been in that required you to use problem solving skills'._

During the interview Harry noticed that Lucus had moved closer to the booth that they were in so that he could still listen the interview in the quickly filling bar. He seemed to have taken a large amount of interest in the how Harry's interviews where going.

Despite having an extra person listening in Harry found himself a lot calmer through this interview with the help of liquid courage. He answered all his questions easily and as he expected at the end of the interview the curse breaker put down his sheet with the questions on it and asked his final question.

"Ok Mr Potter what makes you better that all our other applicants?" he asked leaning forward intently.

He had thought about this question in the gap between the interviews and he had come up with an answer he thought would work on the curse breaker "I've proven that I'm good in dangerous situations and that I don't freeze up under pressure and I don't think any of your applicants would have any of the sort of experience that I have."

"That's a good answer" the man said with a smile "Finally is there anything that you want to ask me?"

"I would say the big one would be what my chances of getting this job is?"

"Unless something changes over the next few weeks I would say pretty high. Your resume' is the most impressive your age is a bit of a disadvantage but your experience is a big boost. I like you Harry, can I call you Harry? I'll put in a good word and if I hear anything I'll send you a message with news but all I do is report to my bosses so the decision is theirs. Anything else?" he asked.

Harry thought for a second but he shook his head.

"Well in that case good luck and you will hear from us in about two weeks I would say."

He leaned over and shook Harry's hand before leaving. Harry couldn't help but get his hopes up that was easily Harry's best interview so far and he was pretty excited. Lucus clapped Harry on the back as Harry took the seat opposite him.

"Well that was an improvement over your other interviews but that's not saying much. What have you got left?"

"Two left both for ward casting and they are the ones I am actually most interested in"

The two of them ended up talking for the next half hour and Harry was enjoying their discussion. More mature that his talks with Ron and more entertaining than his talks with Hermione which, given they were pretty much the only people that he talked to. He really needed to expand his friend circle to more than just two people.

It was the goblins that came next to talk to Lucus leaving Harry alone for a short time before the first of his two ward casters showed up.

The woman came out and told Harry immediately that the interview was being performed as a favor to Filius Flitwick and he had no chance of getting a job with them before starting the interview only for Harry to tell her not to bother. If he wasn't getting the job he had no interest sitting through another interview he had already gone through enough today without doing an interview in which he didn't even have a chance for a job.

Lucus didn't come out for the next hour leaving Harry sitting by himself until the next interview and he missed the company. Soon enough an overly cheery chubby man sat across from him mopping sweat from his brow and introducing himself as the last interviewer of the day.

Robert Cline was his name and he didn't even attempt to interview Harry.

"Mr Potter if you sign these forms you can start working for us immediately over the summer and we will make sure to have the best tutors personally train you" said Robert.

Harry picked up the papers and glanced over them "What are these?" he asked.

"Just standard forms for employees. Healthcare, superannuation, those sort of things" he said quickly.

Harry's pen was literally an inch from the paper when it was snatched out of his hand. He turned to see Lucus waving it at Harry.

"Harry you never sign anything before reading it. Negotiation 101" as he picked up the papers.

It took Lucus less than a minute to see what was wrong with it.

"Why is there a thing in here about you being able to use the likeness and name of any employees in advertising without consultation? That doesn't sound like a generic employment term" Lucus said turning to the man across form Harry.

"My company is interested in using Harry potter as a face to get more business. In return we will hire tutors for him to learn from. It's a good deal and I recommend you take it."

They both turned to Harry to see his answer.

It was a good deal Harry was thinking to himself. He wasn't exactly comfortable with a company using his likeness to attract business. He didn't know what to do but it was Lucus that answered for him.

"Mr Potter will send his reply to your company directly in the next three weeks" he said as he ushered the man out of the booth. Robert looked offended by the dismissal but he left anyway. This was properly the best he could expect right now. Harry didn't look too enthusiastic about the idea but this way he could take a half-way decent answer back to his bosses.

Lucus slid in to the both before turning to Harry "you really need to be more careful. That was reasonable harmless but a lot of bad things can happen when you sign things all willy nilly like that, trust me. That's a pretty good result. Three weeks before the end of the semester right?" Harry nodded "Now you can use it for a last resort if the other job goes to shit".

Harry wanted to stay and hang out with Lucus for a little longer but he had promised Professor Flitwick that he would come straight back to Hogwarts when he was done. Lucus had invited Harry to stick around for a celebration drink for his successful dealing with the goblins but he had to decline and pack up his things before heading out. Lucus had made him promise to keep him updated on what happens with his job saying he had taken an interest in the results. Lucus claimed the only reason Harry might have got a job was him and wanted to know how it ended. He said just to send it to Lucus sterling which, apparently was his name. Harry felt silly for not asking before.

For now Harry would go back and tell Professor Flitwick how it went. Harry was pretty disappointed in all but one of the interviews but he had high hopes for getting a job. It would be pretty cool to be a curse breaker but if it didn't work out he had a secured job as a ward caster.

Harry ended up buying a few books on curse breaking before wandering back to the leaky cauldron to floo home. He needed to study for his exams. He still needed good marks to get in to arithmancy and runes whether he had the summer job or not.

* * *

_Fin_

_Ok the slang from Lucus (before people complain) drifts in and out deliberately. When people talk like that it doesn't happen all the time. I use slang with a bit of an accent but it comes and goes when I talk so I'm going off that. Next chapter will be the next three weeks. I feel like I've set up this story enough so we can pick up the pace. _

_Also the drinking after quidditch seems like something that any teenage team would do so I didn't think it was too much of a stretch. _

_LP _


End file.
